In the early 1920’s, New York financier Delos Cooke pursued his dream to build a winter home in Phoenix and commissioned the building of a mansion in the grand Spanish colonial style. A world traveler, Delos and his wife, Florence, filled their mansion with wondrous treasures from their travels around the world.
After Cooke’s untimely death in 1931, the home was sold to a series of private parties, who added various rooms, including an in-house chapel. After World War II, a group of investors purchased the Cooke property with the intention of developing a first class resort. A new era for the estate began.
Named for the regal, towering trees lining each side of the entryway, the Royal Palms Inn opened to guests in the winter of 1948. It became a destination of choice for discriminating travelers from around the world, including celebrities such as Groucho Marx and Helena Rubenstein.
In 1995, local Arizona businessman Fred Unger purchased the landmark property, and went about the task of restoring Royal Palms to its original charm and elegance. Today, after a multi-million dollar restoration, the preservation of this historic property has been assured. |
